UW Research

May 10, 2023

Research Community Guide to UWFT: April Edition

The April issue of the Research Community Guide to UWFT newsletter was sent to the MRAM mailing list on April 27, 2023. This newsletter provides the UW research community with a round-up of important reminders, resources, and ways to reach us, in preparation for the changes to come when Workday Finance launches in July 2023. We’ve provided a web version of this newsletter here, but be sure to subscribe to the MRAM mailing list to receive our future editions as soon as they are published.

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Need-to-know resources include:

  • New! What’s Changing in SAGE? Video: An overview of key highlights and updates coming to SAGE, including Award Setup Requests and Cost Centers.
  • New! SAGE Award Setup Workflow Video: An overview of how to set up your awards from Notice of Award to Workday integration.
  • Timeline of Important Sponsored Programs Dates: Review important cutover dates leading up to Workday Finance go-live on July 6.
  • SAGE Availability: SAGE will be unavailable from 5:35 p.m. on July 5 and return with new features on July 7 at 6 a.m.
  • Finance Transformation Overview for Principal Investigators: The first in a series of communications designed to address specific needs of Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-investigators.
  • MRAM Special Session (May 19): More information coming soon on a bonus UWFT-focused MRAM in addition to our regularly scheduled MRAM.

A woman in a University of Washington sweatshirt places a label on a test tube.How can I prepare?

Review Key Cutover Dates

Workday Finance go-live is Thursday, July 6, 2023. Resultant changes to grant processes and submission timelines are detailed below:

 


Grant Award to Close Processes: Review important dates for sponsored programs from OSP, GCA, and ORIS.

SAGE will function as normal through July 5 at 5:30 p.m. to meet the NIH deadline.

  • July 5, 5:35 p.m. – July 6 (all day): SAGE will be unavailable.
  • July 7, 6 a.m.: SAGE will be back online and available with new functions and features.

Campus-Wide Frost/Freeze Dates: View the Cutover Frost/Freeze calendar on the Change Network.

Learn About Award Portal (Replacing GrantTracker)

With UWFT, GrantTracker will be replaced by a new system called Award Portal. In addition to SAGE and MyResearch, campus will use Award Portal to assist with grant management and communications tasks with GCA. ​

Explore New SAGE Resources

Check out our collected SAGE Budget and SAGE Awards resources! As a reminder, SAGE Budget will be required at the time of award setup, and SAGE Awards will go live on July 7.

Important Information for Researchers

Finance Transformation Overview for Principal Investigators: The first in a series of communications designed to address specific needs of Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-investigators.

Spotlight: What’s Changing in SAGE? and SAGE Award Setup Workflow Videos

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New! What’s Changing in SAGE?

The What’s Changing in SAGE? video covers future updates to SAGE, including Award Setup Requests, Cost Centers, and SAGE Budget’s flow to Workday’s Award Lines. View our What’s Changing in SAGE? job aid, which covers the same content as the video.

 

Award Setup Workflow Thumbnail

 

New! SAGE Award Setup Workflow

The SAGE Award Setup Workflow video provides a guided overview of how to set up your awards from Notice of Award to Workday integration, along with showcasing the benefits of this change.

 

A man in a medical mask works at a laptopWhere do I find the latest information?

UWFT for the Research Community: Updated April 2023. We’ve centralized relevant resources, like training and announcements, for researchers, administrators, and leaders in the research community.

Grant & Contract Accounting’s Finance Transformation webpage: A place where GCA will post information about FT’s impact on GCA processes and the status of Award Portal and related resources.

Monthly Research Administration Meeting (MRAM): The MRAM meetings and mailing list are the primary ways we communicate information relevant to the research community leading up to the UWFT launch.

FAQs

We’ve included a few of our top FAQs. You can review many more research-related UWFT Q&A on the Research website.

Q1: In future state, who creates an Award Setup Request?

A1: Upon receipt of a notice of award, campus administrators create an Award Setup Request in SAGE. In some cases, only OSP will receive the NoA, and in this case, they will begin the Award Setup Request and send it to the campus administrator to complete

Q2: What changes are coming to CORE classes? Can I still complete my Certificate in Research Administration?

A2: As part of UWFT, there will be little change to compliance-focused courses. There will be significant changes to process and systems courses, including:

If you are close to finishing your certificate and need to take any of the above courses, we recommend completing them prior to June 9. If you are just beginning your certificate, we recommend waiting to take these courses until they have been updated in the months following UWFT go-live.

Connect with Us

  • UWFT Help: If you have general questions about UWFT and Workday Finance, email the program at UWFTAsk@uw.edu.
  • SAGE Help: If you have questions or concerns about SAGE Budget or SAGE Awards, please reach out to us at sagehelp@uw.edu.
  • Volunteer for User Research Studies: We are conducting active research on the SAGE Awards feature. Volunteer to help improve research systems like SAGE by joining the ORIS User Research Community.
  • Newsletter Sign Up: If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, sign up for MRAM’s mailing list to receive future editions.